Heathrow sustainability plan takes off

Heathrow Airport has launched several new green initiatives to make it a centre of excellence for aviation. It has unveiled Heathrow 2.0, a new sustainability strategy aiming to reduce the […]

Heathrow Airport has launched several new green initiatives to make it a centre of excellence for aviation.

It has unveiled Heathrow 2.0, a new sustainability strategy aiming to reduce the airport’s and the industry’s environmental impacts while maximising economic opportunities throughout the UK.

It was drafted with input from environmental groups, academics, community leaders, as well as Heathrow staff, passengers, commercial partners and suppliers.

As part of the plan, the airport has invested an initial £500,000 in its first research and development incubator to minimise impacts like noise and carbon emissions.

Planning consent for the third runway at Heathrow Airport will only be granted if it can be delivered within existing air quality limits, noise levels and climate change obligations.

It also aspires to make growth from its new runway carbon neutral and plans to use 100% renewable electricity at the airport from 2017, as well as establish an ultra-low emission zone for ground vehicles within the airport by 2025.

A voluntary Quiet Night Charter seeks to at least halve the number of flights leaving after 11:30pm by 2022 and a ‘Fly Quiet and Clean’ league table will publicly rank airlines according to their noise and emissions.

Heathrow Chief Executive John Holland-Kaye said: “Heathrow 2.0. is a step-change for our business and accelerates the shift in our industry towards a sustainable future for aviation.

“By focusing on the long term and through working together, we can deliver a world leading economy – innovative, competitive, successful and sustainable.”

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